


A New Beginning

by Kaitie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, Holidays, Hulkeye - Freeform, M/M, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-23 04:56:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/618336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaitie/pseuds/Kaitie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce isn't looking forward to facing another New Year's Eve alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I just wrote this really quick while sitting at home alone and moping while the ball dropped. So I really didn't even proofread much and am just tossing it up here. Let me know if there are any major mistakes.

Bruce took a deep breath, sucking in the cold night air and staring out over the madness going on below. He wished for quiet, but knew he wouldn’t be getting any tonight. The dull roar of the revelers in the streets reached even to the top of Stark Tower and the music and voices from the party going on the floor below were even clearer.

It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy parties and spending time with the rest of the team. He did, even though being around groups of people for too long stressed him out a little. It was just that it was almost that time and he didn’t want to face being the outcast yet again. Sure he was used to it, and he knew all his friends would go out of their way to make him feel included, but he didn’t want their pity.

Soon the clock would tick down and as the ball dropped and cheers rang out, Auld Lang Syne would play and everyone would turn to their loved one and share a kiss. They were all paired up, Tony and Pepper, Thor and Jane, Steve and Phil, Natasha and Maria…and him. He rolled his eyes at himself and knew that sulking out here made him look like some whiny teenage girl, but he just didn’t want to see it.

He’d been alone for so long that pretending that he didn’t care was second nature to him. It was something about New Years though that just made him sad. It was a time for new beginnings, and so many things had changed in a good way over the past year, but he was starting the new year just as alone as he did the last.

Glancing down at his watch, Bruce saw that there was less than a minute left. Sighing, he leaned against the balcony railing and stared up at the stars, trying to ignore the rest of the world. Just a few more minutes and he could go back down, paste a smile on his face and ignore the sting of loneliness as he joined the rest.

“10… 9… 8…” came voices from below.

Here we go; at least it would be over with for another year, he told himself.

“7… 6… 5…”

Suddenly he sensed movement next to him and glance to his left revealed Clint standing there staring at him.

“Can I help you?” Bruce said gruffly, in no mood for teasing or comments on his antisocial behavior.

“4… 3… 2…”

“No” Clint said simply, leaning in quickly and kissing him as the crow got to one and music and cheers could be heard from below.

Bruce stood still in shock for a second, but the warmth and feel of Clint’s lips against his registered and he tentatively kissed back, lightly placing a hand on Clint’s side. Clint wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss just briefly before pulling away and grinning shyly.

Not sure what to think, Bruce just stood and stared at Clint, wondering where that had come from. He’d never shown any interest before, though Bruce would be lying if he said he’d never thought about Clint that way. He just never thought the feelings could be mutual.

“Sorry” Clint said, “I just figured I’d take advantage of the situation.”

“I didn’t think –“

“I know” Clint interrupted, “I’ve been told I’m not good at sending signals. So new year, new me, right?”

“I don’t know, I like the old you” Bruce said, inwardly cringing at how cheesy he sounded. Clint didn’t seem to mind though and smiled brightly.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah” Bruce admitted, hoping to God he wasn’t actually blushing.

“C’mon, let’s get back to down there” Clint said, grabbing Bruce’s hand and giving it a squeeze. He headed back inside, pulling Bruce along behind him. Bruce’s mind was still reeling a little from the turn of events, but he couldn’t help smiling and thinking that maybe this year wouldn’t be so bad after all.

 


End file.
